CSUN Makes All the Right Moves Again

They pitch by committee, steal bases in clusters, and for old times’ sake mix in a home run, these new-edition Cal State Northridge baseball players.

So far, the recipe produces results. The Matadors (7-1) held on to defeat visiting Cal Poly Pomona, 6-5, in a nonconference game Friday.

The teams play again today at 1 p.m.

First-year Coach Mike Batesole takes a different approach than predecessor Bill Kernen, who left pitchers on the mound and runners anchored to bases. Play long ball and defense was Kernen’s credo.

The contrast was in evidence against Pomona (2-2), a Division II school. Northridge used four pitchers and stole four bases, making a change on the mound at every sign of trouble and making something happen on the basepaths at every opportunity.

Starting pitcher Jesse Yeomans sailed through four innings while the Matadors took a 3-0 lead but the junior right-hander gave way to Evan Howland after allowing two runs with two out in the fifth.

Northridge answered in the bottom of the inning on a two-run home run by Grant Hohman to lead, 5-2, and added a run in the sixth when Adam Kennedy singled, stole second and scored on a single by Eric Gillespie.

Howland struck out Bryan Bayze to strand two runners in the fifth and pitched effectively until the eighth, when with one out Jason Wakefield singled, Anthony Iten homered to cut the lead to 6-4 and Aaron Armstrong doubled.

Side-arming right-hander Juan Velazquez was summoned and allowed a run-scoring single to Chad Overacker before retiring the side.

In the ninth, Velazquez walked the leadoff batter and Hohman mishandled a bunt to put two runners on with none out.

Sophomore left-hander Benny Flores came on to retire the last three Broncos, two on strikeouts, and earn his second save.

“With Benny, you know you’ll get strikes,” he said. “He really knows how to compete. In that situation I’m going to a guy I can trust.”

Northridge took a two-run lead in the first when Kennedy singled, stole second and scored on a single by Jose Miranda, who took second on a balk and scored on a single by Hohman. Miranda’s sacrifice fly scored Gillespie in the third.